Manufacture of hollow glass articles



, Sept. 7, 1943. H. F. TEIICHMANN x 2,329,146

' MANUFCTURE 0F HOLLOW GLASS ARTICLES Filed May 29, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 *MN lo 17 Tm I7 Sept. 7, 1943. H. F. 'rElcHMANN MANUFACTURE oF HoLLow GLASS ARTICLES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 v Filed May 29, 1941 &

INVENTOR Sept. 7, 1943. H. F. TEICHMANN MANUFACTURE OFv,HOLLOW GLASS ARTICLES 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 29, 1941 'Sept 7,1943. f H. F.TE|HMANN' K 2,329,146.

MANUFACTURE OF HOLLOW GLASS ARTICLES v Filed Mayl 29, 1941 5 SheetsfSheet 4 SePt- 7, 1943 H. F. TElcHMANN. 2,329,146

l MANUFACTURE oF HoLLQw GLASS ARTICLES Filed May 29, 1941 5 sheets-sheet s Y INVENTOR atenie Sept Z i943 mura man

MANUFACTURE 0F HOLLOW GLASS I ARTICLES 4Iilenry F. Teichmann, Washington, Pa.

Application May 29, 1941, Serial No. 395,767

My invention relates to the .production of hollow glass articles, typically incandescentlamp bulbs, and consists in improvements both in method and in apparatus.

The invention embraces certain reilnements and modications of the apparatus and method described in my applications for Letters Patent Serial Nos. 298,775 and 361,716, led October 10, 1939, and October 18, 1940, respectively. The present application is a continuation-impart of such' applications.

'I'he principal objects in view are superiority in quality of product, and greater speed and economy in production.

The apparatus in which .and in the operation of which the invention is realized includes a plurality of traveling neck-molds that, advancing in succession through a charging station, are adapted to receive each a gob of plastic glass. Within the cavity of each neck-mold the glass is sh'aped in part, and in and by virtue of such shaping of a portion of the gob to the rim or wall of such cavity the gob is anchored to the mold. The charged neck-molds advance successively to a blowing station, where a traveling succession of blow-molds unite with the neck-molds and severally enclose the glass charges;` in the advance of the united mold partslthl'ough the mwing station the shaping otl the glass is brought to completion; the vblow-molds open, and the completed glass articles. still anchored to the advancing neck-molds, enter a discharge `station. 'I'he neck-molds are segmental in structure (bipartite in this case), and in the discharge station means function momentarily to spread the neck-mold segments, whereby th'e finished articles may be removed.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure I is a diagrammatic view, showing an apparatus of the invention partly in side elevation `and partly in vertical section;

Figure II is a diagrammatic view in pian from above of the apparatus; y

Figure III is a view in side elevation of an incandescent-iamp bulb, which in this case .s shown to be the product oi' the apparatus and method;

Figure IV is a view in plan from above and to4 larger scale of one of the neck-mold units of the apparatus:

Figure V is a view of the same in `vertical scction, on th'e plane V-V of Figure IV;

Figure VI is a fragmentary sectional view,

`showing to still larger scale and on the same plane of section as Figure V a neck-mold and the head that carries it, together with a funnel member that cooperates with th mold when the apparatus is in operation. AIn Figures IV, V and VI electro-magnetic means, for spreading the neck-mold segments in the discharge station, are illustrated;

` Figure VII is a view of the neck-mold-supporting head partly in side elevation and partly ,appearing in section, on the plane VIII-VIII ott Figure V, and the others in plan from above;

Figure IX is a fragmentary view of the chain, partly in side elevation and partly in section, on the plane IX--lX of Figure VIII;

Figure X is a view to larger scale than Figures VIII and IX, showing in plan modified means Afor spreading the neck-mold segments: and

Figure XI is a sectional view. on the plane XI-XI of Figure X. y

In th'e production of incandescent-lamp bulbs in accordance with a prevailing practice, a body of glass in plastic condition is formed into a hollow blank: `the blankis introduced to a blowmold, and in such mold is inilated or blown to the shape o! the bulb. The plastic body oi the so-shaped bulb is solldiiied in the mold: the mold is opened; and the finished article is removed.

Considering the procedure more specically, the -body or ch'arge of plastic glass is anchored to the rim of an oriiice in a horizontally extending` neck-mold or oriiice-plate, and under the iniiuences oi pneumatic pressure and gravitythe so-anchored glass is formed -into a hollow, pouchshaped blank that hangs downward from the mold. A blow-mold is then assembled with the neck-mold and encloses the blank; and in the cavity formed by the united molds the blank is blown to a lamp bulb. During such blowing of the glass, the blow-mold is (usually) rotated upon the enclosed body of glass that is held against rotation by the oriiiced mold element.

In practice, a plurality .of neck-molds is ar-` ranged in series on an endless traveling chain, and, in the course of advance of the chain, plastic glass is fed to the oriilces of the successive molds, and formed into a succession of said h'ollow blanks. Organized'with such chain' oi neckmolds is an endless chain o! blow-molds that travels in synchronism with the neck-molds. In

vthe coordinated advances of the two chains the cessively come to engagement with the neckmolds. and enclose the hollow blanks of glassl carried thereby. Asthe mold parts thus successively enclose the hollow blanks of plastic glass, air under superatmospheric pressure is caused to inflate or blow the glass into lamp bulbs. In the ordered advance ofthe two chains, the mold parts remain in engagement until the`shaped glass solidiiles; then the mold parts open, and th'e formed articles are removed.

With such known procedure in mind, it will be understood that the method of my invention consists in certain 'modifications and refinements.

In accordance with the invention, I effect a controlled rotation of the neck-molds, or orificeplates, and vin such manner subject the charges of-plastic glass anchored thereto to the inuence of centrifugal force. In the bulb-forming operations pneumaticrpressure is also employed, and, by kthe lproper proportioning of the pneumatic pressure androtative stress, the shaping of lthe glass is more'accu'rately controlled. Not only do I provide `(Wirth manifest advantage) a more uniform distribution of the glass in the bodies ofthe hollow blanks, but in the nished bulbs I obtain greater' uniformity of wall thickness" In consequence, the thermal stresses and strains in the glass bulbs which are shaped and solidiiied in the' blow molds are so far equalized that breakage of the bu1bs,if not wholly eliminated, is reduced to a. minimum.

y The distinctive features of my method will be more fullyunderstood upon considering a Idescription of the apparatus illustrated in vthe accompanying drawings. 'I'he apparatus includes a plurality of traveling neck-molds I adapted severally to receive, at station A, successive gobs of`plastic-glass. Within the shallow, orifice-like matrices `M .ofV the neck-molds the glass is shaped in part, and insuch shaping of a portion of the gob rto the rims or walls of the matrices the gobsrare anchored to the mold elements.

The charged mold elements come successively, alt station-15B, .to assembly with blow-mold elements 2, and form-completedl molds, within which the shaping of the glass is brought to completion. -The nished articles are removed from the machine at station C.

dicated diagrammat1ca11y,at so, in Fig. 1I. The

vchain 90 is (as described in my above-noted apmold elements I circulate in a vertical plane; the/-/ f-unnel members 8,in a'horizontal plane, in the direction indicated by arrows a in Fig. II; and the arrangement is such that, as the mold elements I advance from right to left in the upper reach of the chain, and at a point to the'left of point C, the funnelI members come severally to vertical alignment with the mold elements I, and continue in such alignment to a point F to the left of point A (Figs. I and II). When the point F has been reached the funnel members Il recede again; again note arrows a in Fig. II.

As eachv advancing funnel member 8 comes to vertical alignment with an advancing mold ele- The neck-molds or mold elements I are severally carried upon heads I0, and the heads Ill are severally rotatably-borne upon plate-like support members 3. The support members 3 are articulated .as shown in Fig, I, forming an endless chain. The axles upon which the support ment I, instrumentalities (not shown here, but

described in said application Serial No. 361,716)v function vertically to shift the funnel member downward into engagement with the mold element. 'Ihis is accomplished when the point A is reached, and the engagement of the parts is maintained throughout the interval of travel between points A and F. Note the funnel members shown in section in Fig. I. At point A a. gob E ofglass is delivered into the united funnel memberV and mold element, and in the advance of the united members from point A to point F the lower portion ofthe gob is shaped to the matrix of the mold element. Upon reaching the point F, the funnel member is lifted from engagement with the mold element, In the advance of the mold element from point F to point B,' the mold-carrying head I0 is rotated; air under superatmospheric pressure is admitted to the `matrix of the mold` element; and the body of centrifugal force, expanded in the open atmosphere to a hollow, pouch-shaped .blank H. At the point B a blow-mold 2, of usual bipartite construction, closes upon the blank, and, with the mold element I and blow-mold 2 thus united and advancing together,- but with the mold ele ment I and the supported blank I-I'rotating relatively to theblow-mold, the blank is blown to a lamp bulb P, At the point J in such course of advance, the blow-mold opens, and the formed bulb is in rthe lcontinuous, circulation of the chain of members 3 carried to the point C, where it is removed from the mold element I, by means of instrumentalities with whichthis invention is not immediately concerned.

'I'he mold elements I are compound, each formed of two complementary parts Ia borne I in a head I0 that is mounted, on anti-friction members are articulated' project laterally and carry rollersv 4 that are engaged in a pair of stationary guideways 5 (but one of them appears in Fig. I), spaced apart transversely of the apparatus.` The chain extends in a vertical plane with upper andl lower horizontal reaches, interconnected by rounded `courses at the ends, and at :one end a pair of rotary sprocket wheels 6 mounted on yan axis 6I) engages the rollers 4 on thetwo vsides of 'the chain. VThe sprocket wheels 6driv`en by, suitable means (not shown), cause the kendless chain to advance in the counterclockwisedirection indicated'lby arrows in Fig. I.

Apluralitylof 'traveling funnel members 8 cooperateswith the mold" elements I.` These funnelmbi'sare carried uponv blocks 9 (Fig. VI)

'whichrefarticulated in'anfei'idlessr chain; asin- (at C), to release 'the `iinished article.

bearings 32, for rotation on a tubular journal 30 carried rigidly' by the associate support member 3. In the cyclic operation of vthe machine these parts are closed, to serve unitedly (at point A) their essential' moldfunction, and are opened In the travel of the united mold parts from point F to point J theYY head I 0 is pbsitively rotated, the means to such end being in exemplary way shown as a Wheel-like enlargement Ilia on the body of the head that makes rolling contact with a friction rail I9 that parallels the course of mold travel between such points. The two parts I a of each mold element are severally mounted in slideways I2 formed in the rotary head I0. kTo

each of the-two mold parts Ia the armature I3 o! an electro-magnet I4 is united; the two elecasaaiee tro-magnets are severally secured in the radially outer ends of the two slideways I2 in head Id, and between each magnet and the associate mold part la is arranged a compression spring IB. The springs IS serve normally to maintain the two mold parts in abutment, concentric with the axis of the rotary head I@ (in which -position of abutment they serve their mold function), but the electro-magnets, energized when the united work-bearing mold reaches the point C, overcome the stress of the springs and draw the mold members apart for removal of the work. One electric terminal of each magnet is grounded through the metal body of head I0 tothe frametact strip I8 which is suitably supported in the position shown in Fig. II, to be engaged by the contact ring I1 of the head II) as it reaches and advances through the work-releasing station C. The magnets Id are energized and the mold members Ia stand apart so long as -the ring I1 of the advancing head remains in contact with the strip I8, and it is to be noted that, by virtue of this structural organization, it is not necessary that the rotary head bevoriented in any particular angular position, to permit of the functioning of the mold-spreading instrumentalities. Indeed, the head III may be in rotation, while the ring is advanced along the contact strip I8, with- Aout affecting the mold-spreading operation, and

thus it is that the rotation of the mold-carrying head (herein shown to be intermitted at point J) may, if desired, be maintained throughout the path of mold circulation.

Each support member 3 carries a verticallyl reciprocable plunger I5, Fig. V. This plunger is by the tension of a spring 9I normally held in retracted position; but, in the circulating travel n of the chain of members 3, the outer end of the plunger, equipped with wheels I5c, engages a sta. tionary rail I6 (fragmentarily shown in section in Fig. V), and by such engagement the plunger is shifted against the tension of spring 9|, and the end I5a ot'thel plunger projected upwardly into .the orifice-like cavity within the united mold parts Ia. The thrust thus moving vthe plunger i'nto the mold cavity is transmitted through spring 92.I For more particular details o! the plunger-operating mechanism. reference may be had to my copending applications, above noted.

The end I5a of the projected plunger becomes a mold member, and provision is made that it may rotate with the united mold parts Ia. Specifically, the upper end of the plunger is mounted to rotate on a race of ball-bearings lib.

In .the body of each support member 3, a chamber or chest 23 is provided, and from such chamber lateral passages 24 and 25 (Figs. V and Vm) extend; from these passages severally there is valve-controlled communication with lateral chambers 26 and 21, and the valves 28 and 29 that control such communication close under spring tension. 'I'he base of the tubular journal 30 opens at its lower end (as seen in Figs. V and VI) ring-gasket 39a provides an air-tight engagement of the mold with the upper end of the journal. A supply of air under pressure is maintained in chamber 21, and a condition of vacuum in chamber 2t, and in thecourse of machine operation the valves 2a and 29 are alternately unseated against spring tension, establishing in chamber 23 alternately a condition of vacuum and of pneumatic pressure. The means for establishing and maintaining conditions of vacuum and air pressure severally in chambers 26 and 2I,` and the means for opening thevalves 28 and 29 at the desired points in the circulation of the mold elements I, are fully described in my said copending applications, and repetition herein is needless to an understanding of my present invention. Suice it to say that, in the circulation of the chain of mold elements I, the means described in my other applications function to eifect the movement of the plunger I5 and the shifting of the valves 28 and 29 in proper sequence in the following operations:

As a mold I advances, with its parts Ia united, inright-to-left direction (Figs. I and II) to point A, the plunger associated with the mold is shifted to the projected position in which it is shown in Fig. VI. When the mold reaches the point A, a funnel member 8 closes upon it and forms a matrix, ready to receive a gob E of glass. It will be perceived that the mold I includes an annular portion Ic-that rises from the face of the head IIJ. The funnel member 8 is formed at its lower edge with complementary recess 8a. Thus, when the funnel member closes upon the mold, the union of the parts is perfect. The bore of each funnel member conforms in shape to an hour-glass, and the downwardly divergent portion of the bore forms in en ect a continuation of the cavity M of the mold; indeed, the matrix that receives the gob of glass is formed by theupper end ofthe plunger, the lower bore portion of the funnel member, and the portion of the mold cavity M which encompasses the upper end Iia of the plunger, The upwardly diverging bore portion of the funnel member 8 serves to A direct into such matrix a gob of glass dropped into the chamber 23; the tubular journal extends into the mouth of the funnel member.

The means for delivering gobs of glass to the succession of matrices, thus provided by the united mold kand funnel members, consistl in the fore-hearth 84 of a. glass tank. The fore-hearth includes a delivery orifice, with a flow-controlling rod 85 adjustably positioned above it, arranged to deliver freely and continuously under gravity a stream D of molten glass in line directly above the succession of molds I. A pair of shear blades 86 is mounted to reciprocate across the stream of `glass D, and,'in co-ordination with one another,

to shear the descending column of glass into a succession of gobs E. The shears are, by appropriate means, driven at appropriate speed in synchronism with sprocket wheels 6. Such glass-feeding means deliver a succession of gobs E that fall one by one into the advancing matrices.

Immediately before an advancing mold I reaches point A, a condition oi' suction is established in the chest 230i the associate support member 3, and when, upon reaching point A. a gob E of plastic glass enters the assembled funnel member and mold, such suction is eilective,

' through the clearance (above mentioned) beis afforded by means of clearances between the body of the plunger and the internal surfaces of thev tubular journal 30 and the mold I; and a tween the head of the plunger I5 and the mold body, to draw the gob -E inward and shape it minutely to the form of the matrix. See Fig. VI.

The circular cavity of mold I includes a. circumferential groove in which glass is shaped to form a bead p at the mouth of the bulb (Fig. Illl),V and it will be understood that, by the shaping ofthe lower portion of the gob of glass to such mold cavity, the gob isY anchored to the mold. Upon reaching and passing the point F, the funnel member is lifted from the mold; the vacuum in chest 23 is broken; the wheel portion Illa of the advancing mold-bearing head I engages the friction rail I9 and the mold I, the plunger tips Ia and the glass charge E are s'et in rotation; air unde'r'pressure is admitted to chest 23 and the plunger is retracted. While the rotating charge of glass is thus subject to the innuence of centrifugal force, air flowing from the chamber 23 into the matrix of the mold element I expands the still plastic bodyv of glass, bubble-like, in the open atmosphere.

Rounding the left-hand end of the course of the chain of molds, the body of glass is progressively expanded under the influences of both centrifugal force and internal air pressure, .and upon entering the lower reach of the chain, grav-' ity also becomes effective upon the glass. The blank i's completely formed by the time the mold I reaches the point B, and at such point a blowmold 2 closes upon it.

Each blow-mold 2 is formed of two complementary mold parts 2a, and the several mold parts 2a that form the succession of blow-molds are arranged in two endless traveling chains 20a and 20h, as shown in Fig. II. The particular structure of the chains and the manner in which they may be mounted for travel in the machine will be perfectly apparent to the engineer, and for present purposes the diagrammatic illustration in the drawings will suilice. The two chains are arranged to travel in common horizontal plane beneath thelower reach of the chain of mold elements I. 'Ihe chains travel in synchronism with the molds I, and, as each moldv I advances with a suspended blank H to the point B, a blow-mold closes upon'it; that is, a mold part 2a on chain 20a closes upon a corresponding mold part 2a on chain 20h (cf. arrows b in Fig. II), enclosing the blank depending from the mold I. Each blow-moldpart includes a recess 2c (Fig. II) that receives the annular portion Ic of the mold I, whereby the engagement of the united moldparts I, 2 is' snug, providing practically' a seamless matrix. Withinthe matrix'thus formed by the united mold members, the plastic blank H is gradually blown to a lamp bulb. The mold I and the supported blank rotate while the shaping of the glass is thus brought to completion. vAs the mold assembly reaches the point` J, the advancing chains 20a and 20h enter the rounded courses indicated by thearrows c, Fig. II; the blow-mold halves 2a separate, and recede from the finished bulb. The glass body of the bulb P, now solidified but still 'anchoredi to the mold I, advances to the point C; the ow of air to the chamber 23 is interrupted; the mold parts Ia are drawn apart, in the manner already described; and the iinished bulb is removed.

It is to be noted that the engagement of the united blow-mold parts 2a with the rotating molds I provides a mechanical integration of the chains 20a and 20h with the powerfully driven chain (3) that carries the molds whereby the chain of molds I serves as the driving means for the chains that `carry the blow-mold parts 2a. If found desirable, however, a positive, synchronized drive for the blow-mold chains may be provided.

In the apparatus disclosed in my earlier applications the pins that articulate the chain of mold supports 3 are hollow, and thevacuum chambers 26 in the successive mold supports communicate with one another through passages that open through the pins on one side of the chain, while the air chambers 21 communicate with oneanother through passages extending through the pins on the other side of the chain. 'I'he intercommunicating chambers 26 of the sev eral mold carriers 3 form in'effect a single chamber in which a vacuum is maintained, and the intercommunicating chambers 21 form in effect a single chest that is charged with air under pressure. Herein, more eifective means have been devised for establishing such intercommunication of the chambers 26 and 21. Such means, illustrated in Figs. VIII and IX, consist in flexible hoses 26a and 21a. 'I'he line of communicating chambers 2-6 provides in effect a single vacuum chest in the chain of mold carriers, while the communicating chests 21 form in effect a single air chest.

In Figs. X and XI modiiled means are shown for opening or spreading the two parts of the neck-molds as they advance through the workreleaslng station C. Whereas the means above described for this purpose comprise electrically operated magnets, the modiiled means are purely mechanical. As shown in these figures ofthe drawings, the neck-mold sections Ia', normally held by springs ISa in closed or united position, severally carry rollers 99 which, in the advance of the mold into' the discharge station C, severally engage spaced rails 89 rigidly supported at such station, on opposite sides of the line of mold travel. The railsare so particularly formed that, as the rollers of an advancing mold engage them andY roll therealong, the sections of the mold are spread apart; held in spread-apart position while a completed bulb is removed, and then allowed to close again under the tension of springs Ilia. I

In order to insure that the mold-carrying head I Il', which Ais in rotation as it leaves the point J (Fig.'I)A and advances to the discharge point C, shall be in proper angularmposition for the rollers 99 on the mold sections to co-operate with the stationaryrails 89,1 provide on the mold support 3a a detent 93 that is adapted to en gage either of two notches 94 in the mold-.Carrying head and arrest rotation of the parts in the said proper position. A spring 95 normally maintains the detent in retracted position, so that the head I0' may rotate freely. The detent carries a roller 96 which engages a rail 91 as the mold approaches discharge point C, with the eiect `that the detent is projectedy into contact with the cylindrical side of the rotating head I0. The rail 91 is yieldingly mounted, the mounting therefor 'including springs 98 of greater effective .Spring power `than the spring 95 of the detent, whereby, when the advancing roller 96 makes contact with the rail 91, the detent is projected into engagement with the side of the rotating head I0', but the Aaggregate stress of the springs 98 is not so great as to cause the detent to arrest rotation of the head until one of the notches 'SI reaches a position opposed to the tip of the detenty and is engaged thereby. Thus, the rotaiaing head I0 is arrested, with the rollers 99 in mold sections la.

3. In apparatus for the production of glass ar- It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the production of incandescent lamp bulbs, and that it will nd utility in the manufacture of many other sorts of hollow articles of glass.. Within the ambit of the invention dened in the appended claims, various modincations in the method and apparatus described are held in contemplation.

I claim as my invention:

1. In' apparatus for the production of glass ticles, including a, succession of` traveling supports, rotary heads severally carried by said supports, means for rotating said heads in response to travel of the supports, and segmental molds, severally carried by said rotary heads; the invention herein described that comprises means articles, including a succession of traveling supin number to the mold segments and associated one with each of said segments and adapted when energized to shift the said mold segments from :their positions of cooperation, and means rendered effective by the advance of the supported heads to eiect at a predetermined point in the path of advance the energizing o f the magnets.

2. In apparatus for shaping glass articles, an endless chain of articulated supports, rotary heads severally borne by said supports, each head including. a plurality of radially extending slideways, mold parts severally mounted in said slideways and movable in the slideways between active and inactive positions, the invention herein described which consists in means normally holding the mold parts upon each slideway yielding- 1y in active positions, and means rendered eiective by the advance of each support-borne head for shifting the mold parts to inactive positions.

normally holding the mold sections yieldingly to advanced positions, electro-magnetic means mounted in the rotary heads and engaging said mold segments and adapted when energized to shift the .mold segments to retracted positions, and means including a contact element on each head and a stationary contact elementI adapted on the advance of the head to effect the energizing of the electromagnets of such head. l

Q 4. In a glass-blowing machine including a gobreceiving cavity formed of a horizontal ring-mold whose matrix includes a circumferential groove, a plunger that is vertically reciprocable on the axis of the ring-mold, and afunnel that is axially aligned with the plunger and removably as- 'sembled upon the ring-mold; the invention herein described that comprises plunger-reciprocating means adapted vertically to sustain said plunger in a position with its upper end above said groove in the ring-mold, said funnel having a bore of hour-glass shape, and the lower portion of such bore forming with the top of said plunger and with the matrix of saidring-mold a Iglass-shaping cavity that is provided with a constrlcted gob-receiving opening and a circumferential side wall that ares downward toward the groove in said ring-mold, and means for exerting a condition of suction in the Ibottom of HENRY F. 'rEIcrn/LANN. 

